Organizations will look at many factors when choosing the appropriate container for shipping their goods. Some of the factors that the organization will consider include the weight, strength, and the value of the product that is being shipped. Besides, organizations will also look at the environmental conditions that the containers will pass through, which affects their shipping industry. In most cases, firms will go for strong containers. However, the sustainability of the containers is dependent upon the condition that they are being used. Therefore, it is essential that firms make the right choices for the containers they use in their supply chain. In the contemporary logistics market, firms have a myriad of shipping containers they can choose from. They include paper-based, wood-based, and plastic-based. Each of these containers has its advantages and disadvantages that make them the best or worst choice for specific environments. The essay discusses in detail the advantages and disadvantages of each of the three shipping containers.
Advantages of Wood-based containers
Wood-based containers are suitable for bulky goods that require cardboard packaging. They have mainly used heavyweight shipping goods because of their ability to overcome heavy mechanical resistance, unlike plastic and paper-based containers. They are designed in a manner that they can handle mechanical stress that results from packaging, transportation, and storage process of good (Lam & Lai, 2015). They are also useful in the storage of perishable products like fruits and vegetables. Moreover, wood-based containers are used in the transportation of sensitive equipment. Organizations that ship bulky goods because they can accommodate heavy weights without breaking, unlike paper and plastic that are limited to the maximum weight thy can accommodate.
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Firms use wooden containers because of their ability to endure wear and tear during shipping and storage because of their rigid packaging solutions. Meanwhile, wood containers are safe to use because they can be stacked high, which makes them easier for mass transportation as the stacking creates more space. They also have a high moisture resistance; thus, they are easily used in the transportation of moisture goods. Wood containers can also be customized into different shapes and sizes; therefore, they are fit for most products.
Disadvantages of Wood-based containers
Wood-based containers deteriorate with prolonged use. When they undergo wear and tear, they splinter and crack to sometimes breaking when they are used beyond their limit. Wood-based containers withstand a natural deterioration even if they are treated with moisture repellants (Chang & Danao, 2017). They, therefore, do not last longer like plastic-based containers.
Furthermore, the wood-based containers are profoundly affected by ants, termites, and other insects that feed on wood when they are placed in a warehouse. They get weaker with time when infested by the insects. They also get infected by common bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella, which makes wooden containers unreliable for shipping medical and food products. Cleaning wooden containers is also another significant challenge.
Advantage of Paper-based shipping containers
Paper-based shipping containers are widely used across the globe. These containers have advantages as discussed: the paper-based shipping containers are cost-effective. They are cheaper to produce compared to plastic and wooden containers. Besides, they can be quickly produced in bulk. The mass production increases their availability saves on the cost of production (Chang & Danao, 2017). Papers can also be recycled when the existent containers spoil. They are of less density and weight. The relatively low weight of the paper-based containers makes them easy to transport since they do not add significant weight on the overall load of goods being shipped. The paper-based containers are always covered with a corrugate that ensures that they are environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages of the paper-based containers.
The paper-based containers have a low resistance value that they are always ineffective in protecting goods against external temperatures. Besides, the paper-based containers are incompatible with insulating materials. Paper-based containers are also fragile and cannot accommodate pressure. During loading and overloading, they can easily break or separate. It is not easy to mold paper-based containers because it can be costly or can break up easily (Lun, Lai, Wong & Cheng, 2015). They are also highly sensitive to moisture; thus, they quickly lose their strength. Lastly, they are also not suitable for temperature-sensitive products because they easily absorb heat.
Advantages of Plastic-based containers
Plastics are the preferable shipping containers because of their cost and durability. They are strong that they do not break easily even when they are being stacked in the shipping containers and withstand pressure. The manufacturing cost of the plastic-based containers is relatively low. Thus they are quickly produced in large quantities ( Wan, Zhu, Chen & Sperling, 2016) . Firms do not incur replacement costs from breakages, unlike wood and paper-based containers. Additionally, plastics have a high thermal resistance; thus, they easily hold the product in high temperatures. They are reusable, take less space, with a bit lower density and weight as compared to wood-based containers ( Lun, Lai, Wong & Cheng, 2015) .
Disadvantages of Plastic-Based containers.
Plastic-based containers are profoundly affected by scratching, denting, and excessive light. If the shipping takes longer, the plastic containers crack and buck this is not good for shipping highly flammable liquid products ( Koskela, Dahlbo, Judl, Korhonen, & Niininen, 2014) . Plastic-based containers are also not right in the transportation of foods because of the health and environmental issues. In the excess heat, plastics melt and smell affecting food products. Plastics are also non-biodegradable and have Bisphenol A (BPA) that is harmful to human health ( Chang & Danao, 2017 ) . The production of plastic-based containers is irreversible because of the chemical reactions in the production process.
References
Chang, Y. T. & Danao, D. (2017). Green shipping practices of shipping firms. Sustainability , 9 (5), 829.
Koskela, S., Dahlbo, H., Judl, J., Korhonen, M. R., & Niininen, M. (2014). Reusable plastic crate
Lam, J. S. L., & Lai, K. H. (2015). Developing environmental sustainability by ANP-QFD approach: the case of shipping operations. Journal of Cleaner Production , 105 , 275-284.
Lun, Y. V., Lai, K. H., Wong, C. W., & Cheng, T. E. (2015). Greening and performance relativity: An application in the shipping industry. Computers & Operations Research , 54 , 295-301.
Or recyclable cardboard box? A comparison of two delivery systems. Journal of Cleaner
Production , 69 , 83-90.
Wan, Z., Zhu, M., Chen, S., & Sperling, D. (2016). Pollution: three steps to the green shipping industry. Nature News , 530 (7590), 275.
